Star Tribune staffers, from left, Jim Souhan, Rachel Blount, Jay Weiner, and Jeff Wheeler. GENERAL INFORMATION JERRY HOLT jgholt@startribune.com MINNEAPOLIS - 1/31/06 - A studio portrait of the Star Tribune staffers covering the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. (Photo by JERRY HOLT/Star Tribune via Getty Images) (Photo by JERRY HOLT/Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty ImagesFirst Chuck: 3:10 PM (new anthem each week!)The Tube: Twins.TVThe Dial: Treasure Island Baseball NetworkSpies R Us: Lookout LandingEarlier this month, news came from the Star Tribune that longtime columnist Jim Souhan would be sharpening his last pencilclacking his last typewriterpecking his final keyboardtapping his final device. Whatever metaphor youd like to envision for sportswriter retires.I wont render any sort of positive or negative verdict on Souhan the person (of which I dont know enough) or Souhan the successful writer (every scribe will compose some columns we agree with and others we disagree withthat is the nature of the business). But Souhans retirement does make me reflect upon the ways in which I receive my baseball news have changed in just the 30 years Ive been intensely following the sport.There was a time in which newsprint truly was the gold standard of baseball info. For me, this took two forms:The Baseball Weekly subscription my parents would get me for my birthday every yearMy grandfather reliablysome might say metronomicallygetting me the daily Star Tribune while I spent the summer months at his cabin lake homeThis was of course supplemented by nightly baseball news on cable TV programs like SportsCenter or Baseball Tonight. But beyond reading a timed publication or watching a timed TV show, there was no instant baseball news at my fingertips.With all that in mind, columnists like Souhan told me what to think about the Minnesota Twins. On one hand: a helpful narrowing of the information portal (like a TV news anchor or a Blockbuster Video section with X number of titles). On the other hand: An un-democratic narrowing of the information portal in the sense that all opinions were being put through the Souhan filter (of which most professional journalists will try to avoid, but cannot of course do so entirely).This is where I might usually make some sort of value-judgement statement on the sports journalism situation, but I have no proclamation here. While the capital-I Internet gives everyone (including yours truly) a chance to pontificate on the National Pastime, it also makes it that much more difficult for the true professionals/experts to make a career of it.So, while the accuracy or personal enjoyment of Souhans scribbles will ultimately fade into the background with time, his retirement makes me contemplate the nature of sports journalism and how well likely never see an era like his again. When Patrick Reusse either absconds or goes gentle into that good night, it will really hit home.Of course, it wont take you until Monday morning to get the recap of this Minnesota Twins versus Seattle Mariners clash. Ill have the particularsfor better or worseto you by the time you are back from your own lake cabin or other late-afternoon Sunday activities.Click here for Lineups!Join the conversation!Sign up for a user accountand get:Fewer adsCreatecommunity postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!